jOEY PULLING HIS HAIR OUT

[spikedance]

Joey Pulling His Hair Out
HOW CAN I MAKE HIM STOP??

I just got a cat from the ASPCA. (My cat Peety, who had cancer surgery on Feb. 2 for fibersarcoma, went into heart failure on July 6th. The medicine to stabilize him began to destroy one of his kidneys but didn't stabilize his heart. Then they detected the cancer coming back. I had to let him go. He was only
13 1/2. Thanks all for your help.)

Joey was found with a broken leg and tail. He was in foster care for 2 months healing his leg. The tail wasn't set and has a knob in it. He spent 4 months at the ASPCA. He had a long patch on his back that is very sparse. They sent him to a dermatoligist who said evidently he is doing it to himself. I finally witnessed it one morning as I shooed him out of my bedroom. He was flopping around on the bed and yelling, trying to get me up. I've begun talking very soothingly to him and babying him, trying to get him used to a more calm environment if there is one in NYC. I though his hair was starting to come in. Today, it looks like it's going away again. How can I make him stop pulling his hair out? I've had him for 18 days now.

Thanks

[QueenScoopalot]

Joey may have an allergy to a food. Many cats will pull fur out if their food has fish in it, and certain other types of common foods such as chicken etc. Also be sure he has no fleas...even one can cause intense itching in some cats. Try getting cat food that has lamb & rice, or venison, rabbit type foods. Most cats have not developed allegies to these products yet, and you're bound to see a difference quickly if it is food related.

[Jessika]

As Queenscoopalot said, it could be fleas or a food allergy, OR your cat could be stressed out. I understand you just adopted him and he had a pretty traumatic past. He may still be adjusting to being in your household and being in a new environment! I would just try to make him as comfortable as possible, try to get a daily routine going to help him adjust and see if that doesn't help a little bit.

[pnance]

I'd suggest trying what QueenScoopalot and Jessika suggested since fleas, food, or even stress are the most common reasons for them to rip their hair out. MC, my male belonged to my brother originally. We got him about 3 years ago when my brother called and said he couldn't take him, could I. I agreed, went up to LA and picked him up. My brother neglected to mention I was getting a half bald cat. (He normally has a long coat). We had him vet checked and after a bit they finally determined it was probably stress and a habit. (My brother left him alone a lot and he's a very social cat) I gave him a lion cut, not only to even out his fur, but it was also now short enough he couldn't grab anything which allowed the skin which was irritated from him ripping the fur out to relax. Sure enough as soon as his fur was long enough he started ripping it out again. Back to the groomers. For about a year every time the fur got long enough he'd start to rip it out so I just kept him with a lion cut trying to break the habit. After about a year I was able to let his coat get a little longer, but any sort of stress (he's extremely sensative) he'd start ripping it out. It took almost 2 years before I could let his full coat grow in without him ripping it out.